Friday, January 3, 2014

Happy New Year to all of the readers of this blog from Joyce Hart.

I’ve been reading comments on Face Book about resolutions and goals for
2014.Also, some people are saying what
their word is for the New Year.My word
for 2014 is Trust.There is an old hymn
“Trusting Jesus.”The first verse says
“Simply trusting every day, Trusting thru a stormy way, Even when my faith is
small, Trusting Jesus, that is all.”Trusting Him for our businesses, trusting Him for family, trusting Him
for health, trusting him for guidance every day.We even have to trust people that come into
our lives.Trusting Him that as a writer
you will find a publisher and that He will give you clear direction about what to
write.

Now about goals.I feel that
writing your goals down is important. When I took the Dale Carnegie Sales
course, the instructor told us to write down the amount of money we wanted to
make for the year.I thought to myself,
but I’m on salary, how could I make more money?However, I wrote down a goal.Did
I make that much money that year?Yes,
I did.My boss decided to give us
bonuses based on our sales and I was paid the amount of money that was my
written goal.It was amazing to me.Again it comes back to trust.I think one of the most important lessons I
have learned through the years is that God is our source.It doesn’t matter whether we are free-lance
or if we work for someone, God is still our source ultimately.

Let me encourage you to Trust God.Write down, I will get published
in 2014 as one of your goals.One of
my clients wrote down that she would get published last year and in December of
2013, she had a signed contract in her hands.

Wisdom from Proverbs in Chapter 3, verses 5 & 6 tells us “Trust in
the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He
shall direct our paths.” NKJV

Joyce, I greatly appreciate this message from you! I believe that I am my own biggest roadblock. I think that I don't articulate my goals just in case they don't come true. And then, they don't come true, because I didn't believe in them and myself enough to make it happen. I'm going to print this off and keep it where I can read it when I am doubting myself and my goals. Also, the verses from Proverbs need to be written on my heart. Happy New Year to you and your co-workers as you go about doing your work for Him!

Thanks, Joyce, for your quietly eloquent thoughts. What a challenge for Christian writers to mingle abiding trust with dogged determination and sanctified ambition. In God’s grace, I pray for 2014 to be a year, not just of publication and contracts, but His outpouring as I continue to take to the streets of Bangkok with life-stirring stories. It’s encouraging to see our Hartline ambassadors exhorting us to be faithful with our talents.

MEET THE HARTLINE AGENTS

Joyce Hart, Owner and principal agent

Joyce Hart, owner and principal agent of Hartline Literary Agency has been a literary agent for more than a decade. She was formerly the vice president of marketing of an inspirational publishing company and as the president of Hartline Marketing has nearly thirty-two years of successful experience marketing and promoting books. Joyce has been a pioneer in selling high-quality fiction to the inspirational market and has built an excellent rapport with leading inspirational publishers. A member of ACFW, and the National Association of Professional Women, Joyce is a graduate of Open Bible College, Des Moines, IA now merged with Eugene Bible College in Eugene, Oregon. Joyce is based at Hartline Literary's Pittsburgh headquarters.

Diana Flegal, Agent

Diana currently lives in Asheville NC. A Bible College major in Missions and Anthropology, Diana has been a medical missionary to Haiti, a women's speaker and bible study leader. One of her life's highlights has been teaching apologetics to high school students as preparatory for college. Avid reader and intuitive editor, Diana's represents nonfiction and well written fiction. She has a passion for getting great writers published.

Jim Hart, Agent

Jim Hart is looking for authors who can write unique and engaging fictional suspense, romance, women’s fiction, historical fiction and some sci-fi. Jim is also interested in non-fiction regarding church growth, Christian living, and self-help. Keep in mind that non-fiction topics require a certain level of credentials, experience and expertise. The author will need an appropriate platform to present a non-fiction proposal.

Currently Jim is not looking at children’s, young adult or Biblical fiction proposals.

He holds a degree in Production Journalism and worked for twenty years in direct mail advertising before taking a job with an urban social services agency, where he worked for twelve years. All during his professional career, Jim has served with the local church doing youth ministry and music/worship ministry. He is a credentialed minister with the Assemblies of God, and serves part-time as Worship Pastor in his local church in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Linda Glaz, Agent

Linda is an experienced editor, reviewer and writer, and for a couple of years was a final reader for Wild Rose Press, then for White Rose Publishing and she worked as an editorial assistant for Hartline Agent Terry Burns. She has judged for numerous contests including the Genesis for the American Christian Fiction Writers, as well as the Emily Award for the West Houston Chapter of the Romance Writers of America. She has been on the faculty for Faithwriters.com annual conference, Maranatha, and is slated for numerous others in 2013. Linda understands writers because she's a writer herself with 4 books releasing in 2013.linda@hartlineliterary.comhttp://lindaglaz.blogspot.com/

Andy Scheer, Agent

Andy has a wealth of experience as a publishing professional with over 18 years as the managing editor of Moody Magazine, 8 years as the managing editor for the Christian Writer’s Guild, and as a free-lance writer and editor. He is a frequent instructor at writing conferences around the country. A journalism graduate from Colorado State University, he also attended Denver Seminary. Andy is a consummate professional and will be a great addition to the Hartline team.